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| The Pale Horseman (Alfred the Great 2) | 
 enlarge | Author: Bernard Cornwell
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Category: Book
List Price: £6.99
Buy New: £0.85
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (32 reviews)
Sales Rank: 1241
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown)
Media: Paperback
Pages: 432
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5 x 1.2
ISBN: 000714993X
EAN: 9780007149933
ASIN: 000714993X
Publication Date: May 22, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Barry Forshaw
The Pale Horseman is the second book in Bernard Cornwell's Grail Quest sequence, and this highly experienced author will be well aware of the pitfalls awaiting the creator of any second book in a series -- particularly when its predecessor, The Last Kingdom, was so enthusiastically received. The fact that Cornwell's Sharpe books are so beloved (for their immense colour and vivid recreation of a very lively period of history) was not a guarantee that this latest venture for the author would succeed. But succeed it did, and The Last Kingdom conjured an era of Vikings and massacres, with a brilliantly drawn (and complex) King Alfred at the centre of the narrative. So -- does Cornwell bring off this second book with equal panache? No need for suspense -- The Pale Horseman is just as exhilarating a recreation of an age of heroes as its predecessor, delivered with the brio that is the author's trademark. Uhtred was born in Northumbria but rais! ed as a Viking. Married to a Saxon, he has achieved fame as a doughty warrior. But the more reflective Alfred has problems with the aggressive, self-serving manner of his young friend. An alliance, though, is necessary: these two are the sole remnants of those who commanded Wessex, after ill-judged bargains have destroyed the union. The Vikings now reign over most of England, and Alfred and his company are obliged to hide in the swampy netherland of Athelney, trying to regain the support they once enjoyed. Uhtred cannot shake off his Viking training, but finds himself acquiring an admiration for Alfred, who he comes to sense is a great man. As the narrative progresses, the conflict between the two men must be resolved before bloody battles will change the fate of England. One expects the heroic endeavours of Bernard Cornwell's novels to be dispatched with panache, but there is another element which his admirers rely on: the conflict between his strongly drawn characters,! exemplified here by the two proud leaders. It'll take a while! before this new sequence achieves the immense popularity of the Sharpe novels, but the auguries are good. --Barry Forshaw
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| Customer Reviews: Read 27 more reviews...
 Excellent second book October 22, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Cornwell follows on from the Last Kingdom with another fantastic historical novel. Our hero Uhtred is a confused and reluctant Saxon saviour. Surrounded by men who do not appreciate him and in a world where he has more in common with his enemy than his fellow English, we follow him on his adventures. Being a Cornwell novel, you know the history will be as accurate as he can make it (with his usual twists of the truth) and full of love, enemies, friends and of course the battles. You feel really emersed in the historic period, and as always 'just one more chapter'.
The Historyman August 20, 2008
Cornwell once again takes us by the hand and leads us through times when our nation was forged on the anvil of battle, and our people were willing to pay with their lives in defence of their chosen homeland.
His vivid portrayal of 'heroes' leads the reader to imagine that he/she could easily be the maverick warrior, wielding weapons as if born to the task of slaughter.
The weaving of a thread around and among a solid historical foundation teaches the uninitiated a valuable and factual history lesson, one that those who suffered the stale and tawdry efforts of a '70s comprehensive school education will find totally strange, alien, stimulating and invigorating.
To find Cornwell's writing style or subject matter 'boring' is to totally miss the point of what such authors are about, and those seeking a change of tack would perhaps be better suited to switching on their goggle box and immersing themselves in the fineries of the many soap operas that I'm sure will more than cater for their special needs.
If you know nothing else about Cornwell, know that having read one of his historical novels you can speak confidently and with a good degree of knowledge about the history of England, such is the quality of the research and the historical accuracy that Cornwell has made a cornerstone of his writing.
 Compelling, dramatic and imaginative - an excellent depiction of Alfredian England August 18, 2008
"The Pale Horseman" is the second volume in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories series. Picking up directly from where "The Last Kingdom" left off in the spring of 877, it charts the experiences of the warrior Uhtred Uhtredsson. Born in Northumbria and raised by the Danes, he is a man of mixed loyalties who through circumstance has found himself siding with the weak-willed Alfred, king of Wessex, the only English kingdom left at that time unconquered by the invaders. Uhtred cares little for the conflict, seeking only wealth and a reputation for himself, and so it is not long before he commandeers one of his king's ships to go raiding. But the tide soon turns as Wessex itself falls prey to the Danes, and Uhtred must fight for Alfred if he wishes to avoid losing everything he has gained thus far.
As a historical adventure tale the book works very well. The battle scenes are as usual infused with pace, drama and realism - without ever becoming gratuitous. The lead-up to the climax of the novel, the battle at Ethandun, is particularly well-handled. The author has always been very good at establishing a setting and his descriptions of the landscape are always convincing, from the wild and storm-battered coast of Cornwall to the marshes surrounding Aethelingaeg (modern Athelney) during winter and the uplands of Wiltshire in the spring. Enough historical detail is present, too, that it is easy to feel drawn into both the place and the era in which the novel is set, without unnecessarily burdening the narrative.
However, whereas "The Last Kingdom" had a strong narrative through-line, following Uhtred's development from childhood through adolescence into the adult world of the ninth century, "The Pale Horseman" is rather more fragmented. We follow Uhtred on various adventures throughout the south-west of England, but until the final third of the book it is difficult to feel a sense of direction or impending danger. The dialogue has a tendency to slip into modern idiom and the language and tone of the prose lacks some of the poetic quality which characterised the first book in the series.
Nevertheless, "The Pale Horseman" is an easy, compelling and enjoyable read. While it is not as strong as the first volume, it remains a good continuation of the series.
A Great Follow-up to 'The Last Kingdom' April 13, 2008
The second book of the series continuing the story of Uhtred and like the 1st book it is an exellent read. Now Wessex is safe Uhtred gets bored and after killing a fellow Saxon he gathers a bunch of Saxons and steals Alfreds ship and turns it into a viking ship and goes raiding in Wales. Here he meets lots of new charcters both new friends and new enemies and he gets himself into a lot of trouble with Alfred. But then fate happens and Wessex is slaughtered by the Danes leaving Alfred living in a swamp desperatley trying to build an army to face the Vikings and save England, and remember this book is based on what really happened. As always Bernard has given us an exellent book with a great story that will keep you coming back for more.
Alfred Stands Against the Danes January 30, 2008
The Pale Horseman is the sequel to the best selling Last Kingdom and continues the the tale of the great warrior Uhtred, born in Northumberland. Raised as a Viking but he is now married to a Saxon girl. He is a pagan and his alliance with the pious Alfred the Great does not sit easily on the shoulders of either man.
However after a disastrous truce with the Dane's, only Alfred's family and Uhtred and a small number of his companions are left of the leaders in Wessex and they have been driven deeper and deeper into a swamp, where they are helpless to try to gather forces to stand against the Dane's
The Vikings now hold most of England and it has been a disastrous time for the Saxons. Uhtred find himself torn between the growing respect he has for Alfred and the love he has for his Danish foster brother and the all conquering Vikings. He has to wrestle with his heart and decide whether to try and rally the Saxons and drive out the Vikings, or change sides and go to his foster brother.
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